United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a stark warning during the opening of the 61st UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, declaring that the rule of law is being systematically “outmuscled” by the rule of force worldwide. The UN leader emphasized that human rights are facing “a full-scale attack around the world” with devastating consequences.
Guterres specifically highlighted the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stating that “the two-state solution is being stripped away in broad daylight” through blatant violations of human rights and international law. He called on the international community to prevent this deliberate undermining of peace prospects.
The warning comes amid escalating tensions in the West Bank, where Israeli forces recently raided the towns of Silwad and Turmus Ayya according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. In a separate incident, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the torching of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in Tell village by Israeli settlers, demanding international intervention.
Diplomatic pressure is mounting as nearly twenty nations from the Middle East, Europe, and Asia—plus the League of Arab States and Organization of Islamic Cooperation—issued a collective statement condemning Israel’s expanding control over the West Bank. The coalition criticized recent measures that reclassify Palestinian land as Israeli state territory and accelerate illegal settlement activity.
The international community expressed particular concern about violations of Jerusalem’s historic status quo during Ramadan, warning these actions threaten regional stability. Meanwhile, high-level discussions between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Jeddah focused on ceasefire implementation, humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, and reaffirmed rejection of Palestinian displacement.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged restraint and dialogue, stating that escalating Middle East tensions serve no party’s interests. Indonesian legal scholar Arie Afriansyah supported Guterres’ assessment, noting that military and political power increasingly override legal restraints, with inconsistent application of UN Charter protections for civilians.